Rajesh Tandon
Early Times Report
Poonch, Nov 24: The encroachment of government land allegedly with the help of revenue officials particularly Patwaris, in Poonch district, has opened a Pandora’s box.
Sources told Early Times these overstaying Patwaris have been facilitating encroachers to grab government land in and around Poonch district. Although many Patwaris are transferred on a regular basis but there are some who remain in the periphery of Poonch town with the help of influential political leaders.
“Some politicians in connivance with the Patwaris managed to encroach government land during 2014 flash floods and got it transferred in their names,” they alleged.
They said that these encroachments can be seen near Salani Bridge, Sher-i-Kashmir Bridge, these lands were a part of flood zone and during flood, water used to cover this land but now it has come under the clutches of the land grabbers.
It has been observed that several illegal revenue entries have been made by some Patwaris to help encroachers. Similarly, there are several cases of government land encroachment in Rajouri district also.
Locals have urged the LG to take note of the issue and demanded strict action against those Patwaris, who are involved in land grabbing and have remained posted in few places within Poonch town for the last 15-20 years.
When Early Times contacted the DDC Poonch, he said that the currently administration is busy in DDC elections but action will be taken after elections are over. “We had constituted four committees to investigate the encroachment of government land since 2104,” he added.
Astonishingly it has been two months, no committee has submitted its report on encroachment.
Meanwhile, the DDC Rajouri said that he would verify the issue and action will be taken against the erring revenue officials. |
